First Blood

A great college basketball game was tainted today as Duke's Gerald Henderson took a cheap shot at North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough in the final seconds of a decisive win by the Heels. Was it intentional? Of course, Mike Cry would argue it wasn't, but after we looked at about 15 replays we have to argue that it was. And the officials saw it that way as well, as they ejected Henderson, thereby disqualifying him for the Blue Satans' first round game in the ACC Tourney.

In the end, the Tar Heels won the game and tied Virginia for the ACC regular season championship. We encourage you to check out the ACC Tourney this week. Upset city, baby. Anyone can win this one. Maryland is probably the favorite, since they have had the most improvement over the past 3 weeks, and have upped their RPI rating from 40 to an unbelievable 9 in that time. Of course, we give the RPI little credence.

Lots of other great games this weekend that we didn't comment on since we were on a small vacation. Several teams are already in the NCAA Tourney, but the big conference tournaments are this week. We'll take a look at them over the next few nights and let you know who will be winning.

Back to the Carolina game for a second. While Coach Cry insisted that Henderson did not mean to punch Tyler in the face, he did, in his typical back-handed "I am never wrong" way, point out that "the game was over before that. I mean the outcome of the game, let's put it that way. That's unfortunate, too, that those people were in the game in that play. Maybe this wouldn't have happened."

So, was Coach AMEX saying that it was Hansbrough's fault for being in an already-decided game, and that Tyler shouldn't have been playing hard? You bet he was. Why? Because, to Coach Cry, Dook is never at fault. BOTH teams had their starters in, not just the Satans. And Henderson was playing as hard as Hansbrough to get that rebound.

Please don't be fooled by the "classy" label that Dook Vitale has placed upon Coach Cry and his team of Blue Satans. They are a group of spoiled individuals who are brainwashed to think that their team should win every time, and, if they don't, it is someone else's fault. Like a bratty kid who sees every opponent as unworthy of winning, Henderson did what any bully would do and lashed out as much in anger as in disbelief that his hyped-up Dook squad could ever lose a game to the Heels.

Here's how the Coaches' Poll will look tomorrow:

1. Ohio State

2. Kansas

3. Wisconsin

4. Memphis

5. UCLA

6. Texas A&M

7. North Carolina

8. Florida

9. Nevada

10. Georgetown

11. Washington State

12. Pitt

13. Southern Illinois

14. Butler

15. Notre Dame

16. Oregon

17. Texas

18. Louisville

19. Marquette

20. Maryland

21. Winthrop

22. BYU

23. UNLV

24. Davidson

25. Creighton

Dette er en stor uke!